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The calm before the calm… What it feels like when your novel comes out

Posted on October 13, 2014

The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race to the end of the world A.L. TaitThe Mapmaker Chronicles: Race To The End Of The World officially hits bookshop shelves tomorrow. I am spending today doing… exactly what I always do. I am writing a finance article, updating my blog, tinkering with my website. But I am also wondering and waiting.

It’s a funny thing putting a book out. In one sense, it is momentous, and monumental, and massive. But on the other hand, it mostly happens without you. The book goes on the shelves very quietly and then you wait to see what happens next.

This is the first time I’ve had fiction published, and it feels very different to my non-fiction books. It’s so… personal.

I’m lucky in the first reviews of The Mapmaker Chronicles have been extremely positive and anecdotal feedback from the kids who have read book one, Race To The End Of The World, has made me so happy.

Tomorrow, I will wake up, make the school lunches, walk the boys to school with Procrasti-Pup on a lead (he is practising being a ‘real dog’), and then come home and … finish my finance article.

So, today is the calm before the calm. And then we’ll see what kind of journey my little book goes on.

Thanks for coming with me.

If you’d like a copy of The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race To The End Of The World, you can get one here.

 

12 Comments

  1. Kirsten Krauth

    Congrats on your new book, Allison. I know how exciting and daunting it all can be. But it takes a lot of focus and hard work to get it onto the bookshelves. My son at five has just learnt to read and keeps bringing Emily Rodda home in his library bag. I’m looking forward to sorting him out and getting your book and reading it together. I hope it gets a wonderful response from readers.

  2. Lucy

    Congratulations Allison, this is all just so exciting for you! It’s been lovely that you’ve shared the process here too so that we can enjoy it vicariously! I am so happy to have your book now – and actually going to a shop in a nearby town to buy it – a bit more exciting than ordering online! I have also bought a copy for my nephews and one of Tom’s school friends. Started reading our copy yesterday and am really enjoying it, sharing it with 11 year old Tom. He has already asked whether we can buy the second book when it comes out! Enjoy it all, keep up the great work. Cheers, Lucy

  3. Alexa Moses

    Wooooot! Will be buying on Kindle tonight, when I finish my Wilkie Collins book. Congratulations! Although I utterly agree with you, the publication date is a real anticlimax, in my experience.

    • Allison Tait

      Thanks Alexa! And yes… calm, calm, calm. 🙂

  4. Maxabella

    Hello Mapmaker Chronicles, I’ve got a feeling you’re going to need a map where you’re going…

    • Allison Tait

      Will you draw me one please???

  5. J M Levinton (@JMLevinton)

    Good luck! I find it interesting and true that you feel your fiction is more personal.

    • Allison Tait

      Yes. I think that with non-fiction, well, my type of non-fiction, there are always other voices involved – expert comments, quotes, studies etc. This is all me!

  6. Amanda Kendle

    Happy, happy launch day for tomorrow Al. So excited for you (in a calm way of course)!! One day in a couple of years I will read it with Mr4 (who won’t be Mr4 then of course) and he will love being able to know the story *around* the book as well. Especially the bit about Procrasti-pup trying to be a real dog 😉 xxxx

    • Allison Tait

      🙂 I had a great day yesterday – as did Procrasti-Pup…

  7. Kym Campradt

    Love hearing about this from your point of view. I’m looking forward to getting my copy!

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  1. Links I love…October 2014 – Lisa Berson, Freelance Writer - […] have been reading with my kids, a new children’s book by writer Alison Tait.  The MapMakerChronicles is a great…

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